Kinda how you feel during the holidays, no? It’s just me?
Either way, a quick catch up on the last few weeks as we round the final bend. Pretty much every show is set up and ready to pull the trigger on the finale. Hit the jump and let’s get to it!
The shows that I’m watching are in bold, shows my wife and I are watching together are in bold italics, strikethrough marks dropped shows and (*) marks shows that are watched but not regularly reviewed.
Adachi and Shimamura
Adachi to Shimamura
Still stuck at episode 5… Not through any fault of the show, just the weird move I’ve been in the last few weeks. Planning on catching up over the next week to be ready for the finale.
Iwakakeru! Sport Climbing Girls Episodes 8-11
Iwakakeru has what’s best described as an unexpected turn. After a painfully long time spent on one competition, it basically faked out and dropped the issue. Now we’ve had a crowded series of episodes where they’ve tried to cram in Jun’s story and Konomi’s recovery from her loss and attempts to move forward. It’s not that I’m disliking the show, more that I’m disappointed. It’s pacing and execution has really been sub-par.
TONIKAWA: Over The Moon For You Episode 8-10
Tonikaku Kawaii: Fly me to the Moon
Despite the disruption of the fire… These episodes have mostly been all about our lovebirds settling into their daily lives. VERY charming and VERY cute. But there’s still too many unanswered questions about Tsukasa… Will we get to them? Or will we have to wait for a second season? Honestly, with as decent as this series has been, I half hope it’s the latter. I could stand to spend some more time with this couple.
Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle Episode 8-10
Maou-jou de Oyasumi
Has the Princess really made her home at the Demon Castle or what? I don’t mean the way she’s been rampaging about the place in search of better sleeping accommodations… I mean really means to be settling in and living there.
At the end of ep 10, she even says to the Demon King – “let’s go home”. It’s all kinds of weird if you ask me… Not quite a captive, but not quite a demon. Not the best episode as it runs against the grain the series and shifting the tone markedly.
Strike Witches: Road to Berlin
Dai-501 Tougou Sentou Koukuu Dan Strike Witches: Road to Berlin
Not much to say… The usual low stakes drama and shenanigans. They keep trying to be dramatic, but we all know there’s not going to be any consequences. Not a particular slam, it’s just how this franchise rolls.
(*) With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day is Fun
Inu to Neko Docchi mo Katteru to Mainichi Tanoshii
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Meant to take one week off, ended up being three… My apologies. (And very annoyed at myself because I thought I’d finally hit my groove back.)
Anyhow, your thoughts on the last couple of weeks? Are you ready for the finales over the next two weeks? What show can you not bear to have end?
Drop a comment, let’s chat!
Apprentice Mages Lounge. 
@Sleepy Princess: I didn’t catch that so I can’t be sure, but “Let’s go home,” may be a translation artefact, in that it has connotations in the English that wouldn’t have been there in Japanes. I’m guessing she would have sead something involving “kaeru”, to return, and if I’m not mistaken that’s context dependent. But, well, I’d have to check what she actually said, and then I’d have to check with people who actually speak both languages about the connotations. I was perfectly fine with the episode, btw, but I don’t have much to say. Same with Tonikawa; I’m having fun, but I find it hard to talk about. I think it might also be my mood; I’ve not really felt the need to say anything about the anime episodes I’m enjoying.
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear had an excellent finale… before actually finishing the series and now it’s launching into a new arc. With not so many episodes to go, I wonder how that’ll work out. So far it’s fun enough, but but it might end up feeling like a dangling coda, rather than like an extension of the show.
I’ve been totally caught off guard with the approaching finales; I mean I’ve just watched the final episode of Fire Force 2. One show has already finished. Most have one or two episodes to go, and some have three. I’ve lost my sense of timing.
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Yeah, translation can be troublesome at times. Wouldn’t be the first time. But it’s not entirely out of place, just mostly.
It’s good that you’re enjoying them! And sometimes, there’s just not anything that needs to be said beyond that.
I have a feeling Sport Climbing Girls is going to end up in the same spot. Either leaving a lot of stuff dangling, or trying to cram ten pounds into a five pound sack. There’s been some serious pacing problems. Kuma Kuma had, as I recall, that problem out of the gate with some odd adaptation choices.
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I think you’ve missed something about Sleepy Princess. The change in relationship to fond attachment and understanding was set up to happen from episode one and the last episode is just first overt display of that. I’m happy with that and I think its leading (hopefully) to a satisfying conclusion of friendship and understanding between the Princess and Lord Twilight and his not so evil minions.
As for the Witches those girls are battling hard against the toughest neuroi ever. There have been injuries and they have even teased us with a “will she survive” scenario too. Its a tough situation for the girls made even worse by General Patton’s incompetent planning and blustering (Oh how I wish the Neuroi would fry him). The witches have a lot to do in two episodes so lets hope this so far excellent series doesn’t fall in a heap trying to get what it needs to do, actually done.
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They’ve teased us, sure. I’m just going on the established track record – where there has never been any serious long consequences of anything but aging out. There’s nothing wrong with that style of storytelling, but it does make it hard to accept a shift in tone.
I like the show, I enjoy it… But the show can’t plausibly ask me to accept something that it’s repeatedly denied the existence of.
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Kinda surprised no mention of the big show that premiered in the last week.
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Totally mea culpa. I was working off of my season template, which was created way back in Week 3 or so… And as I was focused on getting caught up, I neglected to update it.
That being said, I was a little confused after the first episode… And now, after the second, I have a much better handle on what’s going on. (Mostly with regards to the timeline.)
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Being confused by the first episode just makes you normal. As a manga reader, when I read the chapters that were adapted into that episode, I was confused too. And disoriented, bewildered, and discombobulated. A sudden timeskip, change in setting, and introduction of a bunch of new characters will do that.
Isayama is just setting the table here… and when the meal is served, it will be a feast.
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“Normal” is not a word usually associated with me… :)
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